1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed towards a side-entry, ratcheted wrench assembly which can be used to conveniently and effectively loosen or tighten a bolt or like article, which is disposed in a difficult to access or reach location, without requiring a great degree of maneuvering space or any clearance above the bolt, and while exerting substantially all of a force for tightening or loosening the bolt as a torque force and not a clamping force which could damage the bolt, and in particular a plastic or non metal bolt.
2. Description of the Related Art
The field of art relating to ratcheted wrench assemblies, and in particular, side-entry ratcheted wrench assemblies is substantially crowded, with seemingly small variations providing numerous different, patentably distinct inventions. A primary reason for the numerous patentably distinct inventions in this crowed art relates to the specialized needs of various industries and various types of equipment with regard to the use of a ratcheted wrench assembly to tighten or loosen a bolt or like article.
An important and specialized problem which remains unaddressed by known assemblies relates to the requirements during tightening and loosening of nonmetal bolts, such as plastic bolts on toys and the like, and the substantial bolt clamping force exhibited by known designs. In particular, conventional designs tend to substantially clamp down on the bolt to effectuate gripping and hence turning thereof. Such clamping, however, can easily lead to deterioration of the exterior surface of the bolt and/or breakage of the bolt itself. Of course, such deterioration ("stripping") and/or breakage of the bolt requires bolt replacement and can make removal of the bolt substantially more difficult. As such, there is a substantial need in the art for a ratcheted wrench assembly which is capable of being implemented in tight locations, with a small maneuvering area and a limited range of movement, but which is configured in such a manner that the force for loosening or tightening the bolt results from a torque force exerted by the wrench and not a clamping type force which can potentially damage the bolt. Specifically, a torque force maintains effective engagement only during rotation, and is less susceptible to accidental slippage or bolt deterioration during use.
In addition to the specialized need associated with the loosening or tightening of non-metal bolts, the need to manufacture a ratcheted wrench assembly in a cost effective and simplified, yet highly effective assembly remains a significant need in the art. For example, known ratcheted wrench assemblies generally include a variety of small independent and interlocked components to make up the complex inner-workings thereof and achieve the ratcheting function. Naturally, however, the incorporation of numerous small, independent components makes such assemblies quite expensive, due both to the added machining costs associated with making numerous, small, intricate parts and to the substantial added labor costs that result from the skill requirements and added assembly time involved in producing a finished product. Additionally, the use of numerous small, intricate parts makes those assemblies much more susceptible to excess wear or breakdown as the internal components more easily become corroded, dirty or otherwise inoperable. As such, there is still a substantial need in the art for a side-entry, ratcheted wrench assembly which incorporates a simple yet effective design, is easy to clean and maintain effective and operational, and can be relatively inexpensively manufactured.